Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Taytay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $845 in Taytay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in Taytay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,768 in Taytay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Taytay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taytay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Taytay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.46 ₱334

114.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.11 ₱1,292

98.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.65 ₱224

187.95%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.67 ₱163

34.46%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.87 ₱53.5

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.54 ₱32.97

70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.48 ₱90.4

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.70 ₱165

63.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.97 ₱121

-28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.39 ₱85.3

35.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.04 ₱63.9

50.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.14 ₱131

21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.09 ₱557

-8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.15 ₱316

62.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.72 ₱534

24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.49 ₱213

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.80 ₱110

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.60 ₱221

-48.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.39 ₱146

-8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.71 ₱166

-31.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.06 ₱188

-27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.06 ₱126

-48.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.64 ₱39.27

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.31 ₱203

26.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.88 ₱544

17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.49 ₱91.3

11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.20 ₱135

18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.85

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.86 ₱52.6

258.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.44

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.07 ₱127

51.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.15 ₱70.5

13.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

14.16%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.3K ₱1.4M

4.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.3 MX$1,406

$136 ₱8,315

-40.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.56 MX$390

$21.75 ₱1,332

3.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.16 ₱1,662

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.55 ₱2,115

53.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.34 ₱266

323.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.94 ₱425

-29.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,474

$149 ₱9,136

34.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,387 ₱268.6K

17.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$46.21 ₱2,829

-22.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.45 ₱2,170

13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.3 ₱5,099

-4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$45.60 ₱2,791

89.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$267 ₱16.4K

266.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$174 ₱10.7K

170.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$584 ₱35.8K

182.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$398 ₱24.4K

202.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,111 ₱129.2K

87.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,064 ₱65.1K

521.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.52

51.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Taytay: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 in Taytay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Taytay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $240 – making Taytay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Taytay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,267 in Taytay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taytay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $845 in Taytay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $149 in Taytay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Taytay, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Taytay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taytay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Taytay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.